The Marenon Chronicles Collection - By Jason D. Morrow Page 0,239

you are still the only one who can face him. The only hope for Marenon.”

“What if I fail?”

“You can’t,” Silandrin said. “If you fail, Marenon will eventually be destroyed just like the previous world of the Stühocs. It will become a desolate wasteland, void of any life. All of Marenon will be like the lands of Mudavé. Then Anithistor will go through the Green Gate or Blue Gate and live in another world. You are the only hope for this one, and all the worlds that Anithistor could destroy in the future.”

“I can barely make a shield with magic, how am I supposed to take down Anithistor?”

“When my powers transfer to you, you will have what you need. It will be difficult to control at first. You must not face him until you have control over the magic.” He nodded to Inga. “She will be more of an asset to you than anyone you know. She will be able to help you know how to use your new abilities, and to control them.”

Silas looked at Inga, wondering if she would have the drive to do such a thing after hearing everything Silandrin had said tonight. She looked up at Silas and offered him a slight smile, assuring him she would be by his side no matter what.

“After your first task, you will need to get the rest of the medallions,” Silandrin continued. “When you have them, you must place the medallions in the pedestal in front of Marenon’s Map.”

“Why?” Silas asked.

“The pedestal is a great source of power when the medallions are placed in it, and was never truly intended to be used as a weapon,” Silandrin said. “It’s more than a simple gift to the Dunarians from the Erellens.”

Silas remembered the small table sitting below Jekyll Rock. Kaden had shown it to him only once during his three months of training and said that when all the medallions were found, it would be the best weapon against the Stühocs.

“Anyone with all of the medallions can control every natural aspect of Marenon,” Silas said.

“Which is exactly why you mustn’t let anyone use it,” Silandrin countered. “I left the pedestal with the Erellens for the use of the Meshulan only, but they turned it into a weapon against my wishes. It wasn’t always Marenon’s Map. It was a device meant for you, so you can gain the power you need to defeat Anithistor. I fear your Dunarian friends will want to use it as a weapon of war.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Inga asked.

“No one should have that much power,” Silandrin answered. “When you place all of the medallions into the slots, the powers of the Watchman will be transferred to you.”

“Then, I just destroy the medallions?” Silas asked.

“Destroying the three gates will destroy the three corresponding medallions,” Silandrin said. He held up a finger. “But remember, before you can destroy the Red Gate, Anithistor must be out of the picture completely. Either you send him back to where he came from, or you kill him. When the three gates and the corresponding medallions are destroyed, that will leave three other medallions in Marenon. I think it would be best if you found a way to destroy those before they can be used against you.”

“Why are there six medallions and only three gates?” Silas asked.

“I created the other medallions to give to each people group in Marenon,” Silandrin answered. “It was a desperate time when I thought each group might need their own gate to escape through, but it never came to that. Only the three gates were created, but each group had a medallion of power.”

“Why destroy the extra medallions? Couldn’t they be used for good?”

“In my experience, it is best that we remove all possibility of creating any other gates,” Silandrin said. “In the wrong hands, those medallions could be used as a weapon against you someday.”

“But you’ve been wrong before,” Silas said.

Silandrin blinked at the bold statement, but humbly looked down to the table. “Yes. I have been wrong many times before. I can only hope that I am not wrong about anything else.” The old man seemed truly saddened by thoughts he would never reveal to Silas.

“The pedestal is enchanted,” Silandrin continued. “When you place the medallions in each slot, it will recognize you for who you are and the powers of the Watchman will be given to you.”

“You said I would do this after the first task?” Silas asked. “What is the first task?”

Silandrin looked down at